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UN to vote on calling for Gaza ceasefire

The UN General Assembly will vote Thursday on demanding an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza a week after the United States used its veto to stop a similar push in the Security Council.Like the text blocked by Washington to protect its Israeli allies, the draft resolution before the General Assembly calls for “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire.” It also demands “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages” seized during the unprecedented Hamas attack inside Israel on October 7, 2023 that sparked the war in Gaza.But the text submitted to a vote in the 193-member General Assembly — the majority of which traditionally supports the Palestinians — goes further than the thwarted Security Council resolution by taking direct aim at Israel.It “demands that Israel, the occupying Power, immediately end the blockade… and ensure that aid reaches the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip,” which after more than 20 months of war is facing a catastrophic humanitarian situation.The text goes on to “strongly (condemn) any use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare and the unlawful denial of humanitarian access.”- ‘Accountability’ -Israel is facing mounting pressure to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, where according to the UN the entire population is at risk of famine.Israel recently ended a total blockade to allow some deliveries to resume through the newly formed, US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution centers.The United Nations, which until now has sought to coordinate aid deliveries throughout Gaza, refuses to work with the GHF, citing concerns over its practices and neutrality.   Dozens of people have been killed near GHF distribution points since late May, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency. It said Israeli forces killed 31 people waiting for aid early on Wednesday.GHF blamed the Palestinian militant group Hamas for the deaths of at least eight of its staff in Gaza late Wednesday.The draft resolution before the General Assembly “stresses the need for accountability in order to ensure Israel’s respect of international law obligations.”It “calls upon all Member States to individually and collectively take all measures necessary… to ensure compliance by Israel with its obligations.” However, it stopped short of explicitly calling for sanctions.- ‘Mad march’ -This request echoed a call by Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour, who in the absence of Security Council action urged all countries last week to take “immediate and real measures” to force Israel “to stop the mad march it is embarked on.”With the vote taking place just days before an international conference at the UN on the Palestinian issue, the text also reiterates the Assembly’s “unwavering commitment to the two-State solution… where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace and security.”It was a UN General Assembly resolution in 1947 that divided British-ruled Palestine into two states — one Arab and one Jewish. But only the creation of Israel was proclaimed on May 14, 1948. This triggered a war between Israel and its Arab neighbors.Over the decades, the UN body has expressed its strong support for the Palestinians in the face of the continuing Israeli occupation.Israel’s ambassador to the UN Danny Danon stressed last week that the resolution vote in the Assembly, where no country can veto it, was pointless, telling countries “don’t waste more of your energy.””No resolution, no vote… will stand in our way” in efforts to bring the hostages home, he said.

122 million forcibly displaced worldwide ‘untenably high’: UN

The number of people forcibly displaced from their homes worldwide has dropped slightly from a record peak but remains “untenably high”, the United Nations said Thursday.A record 123.2 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced from their homes at the end of 2024, said UNHCR, the UN refugee agency.But that figure dropped to 122.1 million by the end of April this year, as Syrians began returning home after years of turmoil.More than 1.5 million Syrians have been able to return home from abroad or from displacement within the war-ravaged country.But the UNHCR warned that the course of major conflicts worldwide would determine whether the figure would rise again.The agency said the number of people displaced by war, violence and persecution worldwide was “untenably high”, particularly in a period when humanitarian funding is evaporating.”We are living in a time of intense volatility in international relations, with modern warfare creating a fragile, harrowing landscape marked by acute human suffering,” said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.”We must redouble our efforts to search for peace and find long-lasting solutions for refugees and others forced to flee their homes.”- Sudan overtakes Syria -The main drivers of displacement remain sprawling conflicts like those in Sudan, Myanmar and Ukraine, UNHCR said in its flagship annual Global Trends Report.Syria’s brutal civil war erupted in 2011 but ruler Bashar al-Assad was finally overthrown in December 2024.The report said rising numbers of Syrians have since been able to return to their homes.As of mid-May, more than 500,000 Syrians are estimated to have crossed back into the country since the fall of Assad, while an estimated 1.2 million internally displaced people (IDPs) have returned to their areas of origin since the end of November.UNHCR estimates that up to 1.5 million Syrians from abroad and two million IDPs may return by the end of 2025.Sudan is now the world’s largest forced displacement situation with 14.3 million refugees and IDPs, overtaking Syria (13.5 million), which is followed by Afghanistan (10.3 million) and Ukraine (8.8 million).”During the remainder of 2025, much will depend on the dynamics in key situations,” the annual report said, including whether peace or ceasefires can be reached in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and Ukraine.It also depends on whether conditions for returns improve in Afghanistan and Syria.Another factor was “how dire the impact of the current funding cuts will be”.The United States was by far UNHCR’s biggest donor but has dramatically scaled back its overseas aid, while other countries are tightening their budgets.”The failure to protect civilians is astounding,” said Norwegian Refugee Council chief Jan Egeland.”Despite the immense suffering of displaced people, we are now seeing many countries turn inwards, making drastic cuts to humanitarian funding.”- One in 67 -The number of people forced to flee persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and events seriously disturbing public order has almost doubled in the last decade.The figure of 123.2 million worldwide at the end of last year was up seven million compared to the end of 2023.”One in 67 people globally were forcibly displaced at the end of 2024,” UNHCR said.In total, 9.8 million forcibly displaced people returned home in 2024, including 1.6 million refugees — the most for more than two decades — and 8.2 million IDPs — the second highest ever.”We have seen some rays of hope over the last six months,” said Grandi.But countries such as the DR Congo, Myanmar and South Sudan saw significant new forced displacements as well as returns.Two-thirds of refugees stay in neighbouring countries.Iran (3.5 million), Turkey (2.9 million), Colombia (2.8 million), Germany (2.7 million) and Uganda (1.8 million) host the largest refugee populations.